April 2020 (and beyond): What Picture Books Are You Reading During Shelter-in-Place?

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Cheryl wrote: "Very good to know, thank you.
I'll be adding these to my lists."

I would definitely recommend them, and especially the first two, the books about Marco Polo and Charles Darwin.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Gundula, I would love to know which of the animal-themed picture books you've read this month you would consider to be the best investment for a home library in terms of reread value and educational value and suitable for both ages 4 & 7. Thanks! (So many of the ones you've listed sound great and I'm needing to narrow down what I can purchase since I reached out to the library and they have no plans to open curbside pick-up for holds as yet. Sigh.)

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

A is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z

A generous three star rating for this a wonderful idea that was poorly executed. I am a huge theater fan and the perfect audience for this and yet I was underwhelmed. That said, my largely negative review is is no way meant to discourage theater fans from reading this book (it has many positive reviews) and I would never wish to dissuade young people from becoming acquainted with Broadway musicals.

The organization is aggravatingly random (A is for Audra McDonald... but it could have have just as easily been for Andrews but Julie Andrews is listed under J for Julie... D is for Dolly (of "Hello Dolly" played by leading ladies) F is for Bob Fosse (who choreographed *for* leading ladies) and you'll find Bernadette Peters under Q for being the "Queen" of Broadway)

The little poems for each actress are not detailed enough to provide great insights as to what makes each lady unique or memorable... "B is for Barbara / and Barbara, too / both versatile vocalists / equaled by few." Yes, that's all we have to sum up Barbara Streisand and Barbara Cook. Sigh. I realize this is trying to span A-Z in a picture book but I was hoping for at least a little bit more detail. The notes in the back about each actress provide a line or two more, mostly about their most famous roles. Also note that perhaps a better title for this would have been "Musical Theater's Leading Ladies" -- let us not forget that Broadway is not made up simply of musicals... many talented actresses perform in non-musical plays on Broadway but are not included here.

Any Broadway fan will probably be able to call out excluded actresses... after all, this is not an exhaustive list... but when the portraits of 32 actresses are included under the letter "X" for "eXtra-eXceptional" names too important to exclude, I was extremely shocked that Rita Moreno was not included at all! She was the first Latina actress to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita in "West Side Story" (yes, this is a film role but of a Broadway musical) and she is also one of only 11 people to have received the four major entertainment honors — Emmy, Oscar, Tony and Grammy awards. It is a tremendous oversight that she is not included anywhere in this book!

The illustrations are too caricature-ish for my taste and they also fail to show much background at all... while perhaps this is meant to highlight the actress more, I feel it was a lost opportunity to show the truly astonishing variety of shows that Broadway produces and the remarkable set designs that help bring these shows to life.

I feel bad giving this book such a hard time. I think it was created out of love and many reviewers enjoyed it. It is not at all bad book... I just feel it could have been so much better.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

So after now now having read Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression, I really cannot recommend this picture book all that much.

Although with regard to providing the basic and bare details about Dorothea Lange's life and her career as a photographer, author Carole Boston Weatherford has (I guess and to a point) succeeded adequately enough and in a sufficiently informative general manner, personally, I do have to say that Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression has rather been a textually disappointing and at times even quite tediously dragging and uninspiring reading experience, with the author's, with Carole Boston Weatherford's printed words far too often jumping around haphazardly and back and forth from the present to the past and vice versa (which can easily and potentially cause confusion if readers are not already familiar with Dorothea Lange and can thus make necessary connections due to prior knowledge of her life and career, which though, should in my opinion also NOT be assumed in Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression, which should not be taken for granted in a picture book supposedly and generally geared towards younger children).

And yes, I equally and furthermore very much in fact do think that in Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression, Carole Boston Weatherford almost entirely remains woefully and frustratingly on the surface so to speak, that she never (in my humble opinion) really delves deeply enough into Dorothea Lange's life and her many struggles (her bout with polio, her parents' unsuccessful marriage, her issues at school, her decision to become a photographer), so that readers of Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression might well receive a basic and standard knowledge of Dorothea Lange but never enough to really get to know her on a personal and on an emotional level (for yes, albeit that Carole Boston Weatherford's text is factually solid, it is also on an emotional and deeper level rather completely coldly uninspiring and not all that engaging).

Combined with the fact that I have also aesthetically not found Sarah Green's accompanying artwork all that visually pleasant (a bit blurry at times, not focussing and concentrating enough on Dorothea Lange herself for my tastes and desires, and also, importantly and annoyingly, with regard to especially Dorothea Lange's clothing, sometimes rather anachronistic choices being made), for me, while Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression does provide a reasonable general introduction to Dorothea Lange's life and career to and for young children, it is also an introduction that is rather barely adequate and as such also but a low two star ranking for me (and yes indeed, I am also rather majorly annoyed and frustrated that the supplemental details section of Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression includes no bibliographic materials whatsoever and that there are only about three examples of Lange's actual photographs presented).

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

And actually, if you are indeed looking for a good basic picture book introduction to Dorothea Lange, while I cannot and will not recommend Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression without reservations, I do whole heartedly and completely recommend Dorothea's Eyes: Dorothea Lange Photographs the Truth.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Gundula, I would love to know which of the animal-themed picture books you've read this month you would consider to be the best investment for a home library in terms of reread value and educationa..."

Kathryn, just to be clear, I would definitely suggest getting the following picture books as dead tree books and not as e-books, as especially the supplemental information sections are often really hard to read font wise.

Living Color

What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? (but it does not have a bibliography)

Can an Aardvark Bark?

Giant Squid (really really excellent and engagingly poetic but the pictures sometimes are a bit creepy and dark, realistic of course, but still a bit creepy)

Build, Beaver, Build!: Life at the Longest Beaver Dam (in this book, in the supplemental section, in the e-book, you can hardly read the information, so yes, it is essential in my opinion to look for a traditional picture book)

Over in a River: Flowing Out to the Sea (have not reviewed this yet, but it looks good and really fun for little ones and with sweet illustrations except that once again, in the e-book, the excellent supplemental materials cannot be zoomed in on and are almost illegible so tiny are they)

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn, I would also recommend from Sandra Markle’s Explorers series,

Animals Marco Polo Saw: An Adventure on the Silk Road

Animals Charles Darwin Saw: An Around the World Adventure

The one about Robert Falcon Scott, I do find too uncritical and there is a lot of death in Animals Robert Scott Saw: An Adventure in Antartica

And with Animals Christopher Columbus Saw: An Adventure in the New World, I do appreciate that Markle does not simply make Columbus into a hero, but yes, she should have gone a bit deeper with regard to non native animal species being introduced and that Columbus was not something positive for the native populations of the Americas.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Manybooks wrote: "Kathryn, just to be clear, I would definitely suggest getting the following picture books as dead tree books and not as e-books, as especially the supplemental information sections are often really hard to read font wise.."

Thank you! I appreciate that. I will also cross-reference with what my library has. I am trying to buy books that the library doesn't have anyway but will probably need to start buying some that they do have in the catalog anyway just because I have no idea how long it will be until they reopen and I hate to waste precious time with my boys when they are so interested in this sort of thing right now.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "Kathryn, just to be clear, I would definitely suggest getting the following picture books as dead tree books and not as e-books, as especially the supplemental information section..."

By the way, if you are planning on getting traditional picture books, Steve Jenkins' Actual Size and Prehistoric Actual Size would likely also be a total hit with your sons. My one star rankings are entirely because I have found the Kindle editions totally user-unfriendly and not worth it.

And if your sons are interested in rodents, Rodent Rascals is both engaging and informative and very nicely illustrated.

Finally, another great Steve Jenkins book is How to Clean a Hippopotamus: A Look at Unusual Animal Partnerships.

Now with this series by Steven Jenkins, Trickiest!: 19 Sneaky Animals, Speediest!: 19 Very Fast Animals, Stinkiest!: 20 Smelly Animals and Deadliest!: 20 Dangerous Animals, while I do highly recommend the first three, I myself have not really liked Deadliest!: 20 Dangerous Animals as I for one think that Steve Jenkins is unnecessarily making many animal species appear as much more dangerous than they in fact are (and also being rather one-sided and sensationalist about this) and that for two, I also wish that Jenkins had listed us humans as also being a very dangerous and deadly species of animal.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

So yes, while I do recommend Over in a River: Flowing Out to the Sea as a traditional picture book, I absolutely do NOT recommend the Kindle edition of this book.

Please do note that my rather ho-hum and unimpressed two star ranking of Over in a River: Flowing out to the Sea, which is basically an adaptation of the well-known Over in the Meadow song, but in this case with diverse American rivers and some of their respective animal species being featured, is totally and absolutely the sorry and annoying fact that in the Kindle edition both Marianne Berkes' adapted lyrics and Jill Dublin's accompanying artwork are in my opinion and according to my eyes much too small for easy and painless perusal and as such of course also much too small to easily and successfully share Over in a River: Flowing out to the Sea with young children, with the intended audience and age group as a read aloud or even as a read along. And yes, since Over in a River: Flowing out to the Sea is from where I am standing first and foremost meant to be a picture book to be read WITH OR TO younger children, having both Berkes' text and Dublin's images appear in such a tiny and not that easy on the eyes electronic format really does in my opinion make the Kindle edition of Over in a River: Flowing out to the Sea really and truly defeat its purpose (and not to mention that the supplemental information section of Over in a River: Flowing out to the Sea is even more minuscule than the text proper and basically totally illegible because of that, with NO WAY of even zooming in either). And thus, although I do in fact recommend both Marianne Berkes' fun and engaging (albeit of course also a trifle repetitive) river-themed lyrics and find Jill Dublin's illustrations a colourfully delightful aesthetic mirror and complement, I really and truly cannot and will not recommend the Kindle edition of Over in a River: Flowing out to the Sea and strongly suggest that if anyone does want to try this book with his or her children, to only consider the traditional dead tree version, as the Kindle edition is just really and absolutely frustrating.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "Kathryn, just to be clear, I would definitely suggest getting the following picture books as dead tree books and not as e-books, as especially the supplemental information section..."

I really do think that at the very least libraries should have curb side pick ups, but I guess they might be worried that books could get stolen or damaged.

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

Thank you Kathryn for pulling no punches about the ABC book on theater. It's so frustrating when a wonderful idea is poorly executed. And readers here on good reads tend to rate the premise, and the perceived value, of a book highly, whether or not the book actually fulfills the promise and would effectively reach the target audience. I think this is especially true about 'diversity' and 'history' in children's books... interesting & disappointing to see it in this picturebook, too.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Cheryl wrote: "Thank you Kathryn for pulling no punches about the ABC book on theater. It's so frustrating when a wonderful idea is poorly executed. And readers here on good reads tend to rate the premise, and th..."

Thx, Cheryl. And, I so agree. Actually, I've also found that a rather frustrating trend with some middle grade novels I've read in recent years. Sure they are "high concept" but if the promise is not fulfilled it is just maddening. (Sometimes I feel as if the authors themselves don't actually know how to answer all the questions or fully develop the concepts they created and just hope we won't notice!) Having a great idea for a story is not enough to actually make a story great. *sigh*

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Manybooks wrote: "I really do think that at the very least libraries should have curb side pick ups, but I guess they might be worried that books could get stolen or damaged. .."

Yes, perhaps. I was thinking that one might still have to engage (distantly) with the library staff -- show ones library card through a window and then the staff could check out the books and deposit them at the door, something like that. Social distancing maintained but no books are just left unattended. Oh well. It's just frustrating it's not seen as "essential" when so many other places are doing pick-up. Sigh.

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

Because my son is a staff member with an "in", I've heard that we're going to be doing something like this. Only the three full-time employees are actually expected to be needed, though, so my 'favorite youngest' son will still be around all the time. (yay!)

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Cheryl wrote: "Because my son is a staff member with an "in", I've heard that we're going to be doing something like this. Only the three full-time employees are actually expected to be needed, though, so my 'fav..."

;-) Well, this sounds like good news, all around!

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Cheryl wrote: "Thank you Kathryn for pulling no punches about the ABC book on theater. It's so frustrating when a wonderful idea is poorly executed. And readers here on good reads tend to rate the premise, and th..."

It can indeed be really frustrating when you come across an informational picture book regarding something about which you happen to know quite a lot and it is not up to snuff but most of the reviews are glowingly positive.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "I really do think that at the very least libraries should have curb side pick ups, but I guess they might be worried that books could get stolen or damaged. .."

Yes, perhaps. I w..."

Like I have said before, what makes stores that sell booze more essential than libraries or bookstores? While I can certainly appreciate and understand keeping the large mega-bookstores closed, I really do wish that smaller local used and independent bookstores would be allowed to reopen (and really, one could easily have a rule of no more than three customers allowed inside at one time and also implement a strict no browsing rule and a time limit).

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Well, I'm finally venturing away from hard copies and seeing what the internet has to offer. First, we are checking out the free offerings on Audible (the free-without-a-subscription offerings that are available due to COVID-19 situation). Here's the link to the freebies:
https://stories.audible.com/discovery

I really do think it's a big loss not being able to see the illustrations for picture books, but I know there is also something to be said for the art of verbal storytelling and allowing audiences to form their own pictures in their imaginations. The First Music is in this category. I appreciated the animal sounds and musical accompaniment as it's a story about animals making music together. (The music got a bit repetitive and crowded into the narrator's voice a bit, IMO, but it was still fun!)

On the other hand, A Day in a Forested Wetland is the sort of book that really needs accompanying illustrations, IMO. While the poems are evocative, this is more of a non-fiction book and I feel illustrations would really help children better understand the animal being discussed. I appreciated that the poems move through different times of day in a forested wetland and covers a variety of animals (birds, mammals, insects) but every poem focuses on predator-pray and I would have enjoyed more variety than just one animal trying to (or succeeding at) capturing another. Some of the poems might be a bit intense for sensitive youngsters --- or, then again, the words might go right over their heads ("mandible snares" makes me shudder, but my four-year-old wanted to listen to this book about ten times, so I guess he wasn't phased!)

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Well, I'm finally venturing away from hard copies and seeing what the internet has to offer. First, we are checking out the free offerings on Audible (the free-without-a-subscription offerings that..."

On the other hand, I do appreciate the fact that many picture books are indeed available as audiobooks, for there are also many children with vision problems and for them, audiobooks are a godsend.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Manybooks wrote: "On the other hand, I do appreciate the fact that many picture books are indeed available as audiobooks, for there are also many children with vision problems and for them, audiobooks are a godsend. "

Oh, absolutely! I don't mean to imply that picture books should not be made into audio books. Just that the illustrations are meant to go along with the story as that is the genre. Certainly there are many picture book stories that could be enjoyed very well as words-only. But, I do think some do not work as well without the illustrations and some absolutely need the accompanying illustrations for the story to make sense.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Manybooks wrote: "On the other hand, I do appreciate the fact that many picture books are indeed available as audiobooks, for there are also many children with vision problems and for them, audiobo..."

That is also true, that for many picture books, the illustrations are as integral as the text.

[Beverly, former Miscellaneous Club host]

That is also true, that for many picture books, the illustrations are as integral as the text..."

In fact, that is one of the requirements of the Caldecott Medal--that the illustrations be integral to the text.

[QNPoohBear]

Hoopla seems to have recordings of picture books as videos so you can see the illustrations. I haven't wanted to use up my quota of checkouts to look at them yet though.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

*I invite all of you to keep this thread active into May -- and however long until we are all able to reliably obtain books from the library again to resume themed discussions. I realize there are probably ways to organize a themed discussion around books from OpenLibrary or Kanopy but honestly I just don't have the time right now to try and delve into that. (Maybe this summer, but right now I'm spending a lot of time trying to gather material for my children's homeschool that we would normally be able to get easy-peasy from the library.)

I'll also have a new thread for May featuring books being read online by authors I thought it might be fun to do kind of a "Meet the Authors" theme. I'll post a few videos each week and we can "read" together and discuss. I'll get that up this weekend. Stay tuned :-)

[QNPoohBear]

Be patient everyone. My subscription library is going to open for checkouts soon. I can have my parents bring back some more old favorites from the other house, if I remember.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Be patient everyone. My subscription library is going to open for checkouts soon. I can have my parents bring back some more old favorites from the other house, if I remember."

That's great!

And, I realize that my yearning for library books is a very small problem given everything that is going on in the country and the world right now. Hope I haven't sounded too whiny! ;-)

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

I still have a lot of unread picture books on my Kindle, so I will certainly be busy enough (when I am not trying to figure out how to teach oral language skills and evaluate German pronunciation via e-learning).

[QNPoohBear]

Kathryn you don't sound any whinier than the rest of us. I miss print books too. I didn't get to the children's room before the library closed. I miss sitting there and looking at books. I'll have to order some on hold to have on hand WHEN my sister sends the evil minions to annoy us again. Her charming children to come visit their grandparents and aunt. Mother's Day probably. We have one more week of quarantine to go so I hope the libraries have a plan in place! I have plenty of books for the girl but none for the zombie boy.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "Kathryn you don't sound any whinier than the rest of us. I miss print books too. I didn't get to the children's room before the library closed. I miss sitting there and looking at books. I'll have ..."

;-) Thanks. I figured I was in good company here to lament with my fellow bookworms ;-)

Best wishes to get some books in time to entertain the nephew.

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

I think your problem is significant, Kathryn. Those boys need the right books asap!

[Lisa]

This is a great thread. Very helpful! Thank you for starting it, Kathryn.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Cheryl wrote: "I think your problem is significant, Kathryn. Those boys need the right books asap!"

Thank you, Cheryl.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Lisa wrote: "This is a great thread. Very helpful! Thank you for starting it, Kathryn."

You're welcome, Lisa! :-)

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Exciting news! Some of the libraries in our area are opening for curbside pick up! Needless to say, I am thrilled ;-) They are following a protocol similar to what we discussed above. So far, it is only for books that are currently on the shelves at that particular library (no books from other branches, ILL etc.) but I am still able to get quite a few books that we've been wanting, especially if I use both branches that are open near me. They are not yet accepting returns (everything that was out when the libraries closed their doors is due June 1st as it stands now). I hope some of you will soon get similar good news about your local branches, but I know our state is "reopening" sooner than some others so I realize it may take longer in some states.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Exciting news! Some of the libraries in our area are opening for curbside pick up! Needless to say, I am thrilled ;-) They are following a protocol similar to what we discussed above. So far, it is..."

I also hope that we do not end up moving too fast too soon. For example, how in Georgia, movie theatres have reopened, I find that totally irresponsible. Doing library curb-side pick ups is alright, but I do hope they move slower with regard to opening up the buildings themselves to the public and in particular the computer and printer areas.

[Lisa]

Kathryn wrote: "Exciting news! Some of the libraries in our area are opening for curbside pick up! Needless to say, I am thrilled ;-) They are following a protocol similar to what we discussed above. So far, it is..."

That's great, Kathryn.

I'd still put aside the books for a week before touching them again or reading them.

I'm hoping that my library will not open too early.

I do hope though that they will open the return slots at each branch so that we can finally return materials!

[Deborah]

I just saw that the due dates of my books have been changed to June 30.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Agreed! The library is "open" ONLY for curbside pick-up (no access to the building) and there is no in-person contact with staff. You call shortly before you will be arriving and they complete the check out and put the books out in bags for you. Yes, they recommend a seven day "quarantine" for the books though they are supposed to wear masks and gloves when handling the holds, and they will be quarantining materials checked in for seven days before they handle them or check them back out -- but, as I said, returns aren't allowed until at least June 1st. I have heard nothing about the library building itself opening to the public and I imagine that won't happen for quite some time yet. But, I am grateful for the curbside pick-up and I feel it will be able to be done safely. The librarian I spoke to seemed very enthusiastic and even told me they have brand new materials they will be adding to the shelves and online catalog for holds soon. I am glad that they feel good about the pick-ups -- the only books they are handling right now have been untouched on the shelves for six weeks so I hope they will not have any safety issues.

[QNPoohBear]

They're doing curbside pickup for holds at the branch I walk to. Returns have been pushed back several times and it's currently June 20. They removed the request button from the library catalog so I can't even request books they have on the shelves. I hope that comes back up soon. Hopefully the subscription library has some good picture books for the zombie boy. He likes dogs and cats as well as scary animals so I'm keeping an eye on that thread to see what might capture his attention AND not scare my other nephew who does not share his cousin's ghoulish interests.

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

QNPoohBear wrote: "They're doing curbside pickup for holds at the branch I walk to. Returns have been pushed back several times and it's currently June 20. They removed the request button from the library catalog so ..."

Wait what? If you can't request, then what will be available for you to pick up curbside?

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

Still waiting for details on our local one and the university. We never could do requests (unless to call dibs upon the return of a checked-out book).

OKC is now doing curbside and it looks like they've got it down so my middle son will be happy.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Cheryl wrote: "Still waiting for details on our local one and the university. We never could do requests (unless to call dibs upon the return of a checked-out book).

OKC is now doing curbside and it looks like t..."

Our local library system is still closed with no mention of curb side pick ups etc.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

QNPoohBear wrote: "They're doing curbside pickup for holds at the branch I walk to. Returns have been pushed back several times and it's currently June 20. They removed the request button from the library catalog so ..."

So is it just whatever you had on hold at the time the libraries closed that you can pick up now? Ours did that the first week the library was closed to the public. But now we can place and pick up new holds, too. There was maybe one day that we couldn't place holds online but that quickly resolved and now we can place holds online. We can narrow search by "Available Now" and the local branch so I know if it meets that criteria then it will be available for pick up. I hope yours resolves, soon, too.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Marilyn's Monster
I listened to Julie Andrews read this on "Julie's Library" and thought it was darling. A sweet, imaginative tale. I enjoyed the "twist" that the children actually *want* their own monster because monsters are so nice and fun and comforting (Marilyn felt so lonely and scared in her bed at night in the dark... she knew she would feel so comforted if she had her monster beside her). It's also a good message about perseverance and following your heart, not just doing what everyone else suggests. I can't speak to the illustrations as this was just a podcast but Julie Andrews does a lovely narration and the accompanying music is charming.

(The podcast is long... lots of preamble and some post-story conversation, including a brief appearance by author Michelle Knudesn... I enjoyed it all, but if you just want the story start around the 5:00 mark)
https://www.julieslibraryshow.org/epi...

[QNPoohBear]

We can pick up items already on the hold shelf at the public library and do curbside pickup at the subscription library. The problem there is they have limited selection and the main appeal of the membership is the building. I like to browse and see what looks good.

[Beverly, former Miscellaneous Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Marilyn's Monster
I listened to Julie Andrews read this on "Julie's Library" and thought it was darling. A sweet, imaginative tale. I enjoyed the "twist" that the children actually ..."

On Kathryn's recommendation, I looked for this book on YouTube and found it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5WgS...
This presentation has a different reader than Julie Andrews, but this reader pans the appealing and humorous illustrations by Matt Phelan very effectively. (Phelan is also known for several graphic novels that he has written and illustrated). It is a darling and funny story.

[Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs]

I'm listening to it and searching google for images. It seems sort of long/ wordy. But the images I've found are cute. I like how she's brave and competent in her quest.

It does remind me a lot of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend which I adore.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

I'm glad you both enjoyed it. Thank you for the link to YouTube video with the illustrations, Beverly.

[Manybooks, Fiction Club host]

Just decided to reread (because I was tidying up and came across the book) the to and for me and my personal and academic background utterly delightful Mr. Goethe's Garden, which I really do recommend and no, the author actually focuses not so much on Goethe as an author but on a fictional but lovely relationship between Johann Wolfgang von Goethe at the end of his life with a young girl (and how they both go painting together in Goethe’s garden), a wonderful inter-generational story that also showcases Goethe’s artistic and scientific talents.